Cutter and creaser

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for cutting and/or creasing sheets comprises a pair of cylinders defining a cutting and/or creasing nip. The cylinders carry means for effecting the cutting and creasing of the sheets advanced into the nip. The apparatus also includes means for advancing the sheets in a registered condition into the nip. The means for advancing the sheets into the nip comprises feed roll means defining a feeding nip located in advance of the cutting and/or creasing nip. Gripper means engages the leading edge of a sheet and carries the leading edge of the sheet into the feeding nip and then releases the leading edge of the sheet so that the sheet is fed into the cutting and creasing nip by the feed roller means. Suitable means is provided for guiding the movement of the sheet from the feeding nip and to the cutting and creasing nip.

United States Patent 3,383,991 5/1968 Sarka ABSTRACT: Apparatus for cutting and/or creasing sheets comprises a pair of cylinders defining a cutting and/or creasing nip. The cylinders carry means for effecting the cutting and creasing of the sheets advanced into the nip. The apparatus also includes means for advancing the sheets in a registered condition into the nip. The means for advancing the sheets into the nip comprises feed roll means defining a feeding nip located in advance of the cutting and/0r creasing nip. Gripper means engages the leading edge of a sheet and carries the leading edge of the sheet into the feeding nip and then releases the leading edge of the sheet so that the sheet is fed into the cutting and creasing nip by the feed roller means. Suitable means is provided for guiding the movement of the sheet from the feeding nip and to the cutting and creasing nip.

PATENTED JAN 5:971

SHEET 1 UF 2 INVENTOR. PAUL A. FE/CK BY W 01% M A TTO/PN E Y8 'PATENTEDJAN 51971 (552,281

SHEET 2 of 2 80 l I I 83 PAUL A. FE/CK 5 v INVENTOR.

CUTTER AND CREASER The present invention relates to an apparatus for cutting and/or creasing sheet material and, particularly, relates to a rotary cutting and creasing apparatus which includes a pair of cylinders defining a cutting nip and which are effective upon rotation to cut and/or crease material which is advanced into the nip defined by the cylinders.

Recent developments in cutting and creasingtechnology have resulted in improvements in rotarycutting and creasing equipment. Certainpatents, namely, US. Pat. Nos. 3,375,762 and 3,383,991, have recently issued which disclose such equipment. The aforementioned patents disclose apparatus in which sheet material is cut in a cutting and creasing nip defined by a pair of cylinders. These cylinders carry flexible cutting and creasing plates which have projections thereon for effecting the cutting and creasing of thematerial. In these patents, one of the cylinders, which carries a cutting and creasing plate, is provided not only with clamps for holding the plate on the cylinder but also with grippers for engaging the sheet and carrying the sheet through the cutting and creasing nip. The provision of the grippers, as well as the plate clamps on the one cylinder, complicates the construction of the cutting and creasing cylinder.

in order to simplify the construction of the cutting and creasing cylinder, certain designs have been attempted, one of which'is shown in Sarka Application Ser. No. 488,349 now US. Pat. No. 3,460,443. Such a design utilizes sheet grippers which clamp the sheet material between a gripper finger and the clamps which hold the cutting and creasing die plate. This enables cutting to be performed immediately adjacent the area of the sheet material which is gripped. As a result of this construction, however, a rather severe bend is placed in the die plate immediately adjacent the clamped edge thereof which complicates the problem of mounting the die plate so that it is in continuous intimate contact with the cylinder. When cutting and/or creasing of the sheet material occurs adjacent the gripped edge of the sheet, and the die plate is not in a continuous intimate contact with the cylinder, a working of the die plate in the area of the bend occurs. This results in concentrated strain in the area of the bend and frequently damage to the die plate results requiring replacement thereof. This, of course, results in excessive costs and manufacturing slowdowns. Moreover, due to the fact that an area of the sheet at the lead edge thereof is gripped by the grippers, cutting in that area adjacent the lead edge is not feasible.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved cutting and creasing apparatus constructed so as to enable cutting of the sheet material by the die plates in the area immediately adjacent the lead edge thereof while providing effecting registered feed of the sheet material.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved cutting and creasing apparatus constructed so that the aforementioned bend in the die plate is minimized so as to better insure that the die plate will be in continuous intimate contact with the cylinder to thereby minimize the possibility of the aforementioned working ofthe die plate.

A further object of the present invention is the provision o a new and improved rotary cutting and creasing apparatus wherein cutting and creasing can be performed immediately adjacent the edge of the material and wherein the plate clamps reliably secure the die plates on the cylinder with a minimum bend in the edge ofthe die plates, both of which are due to the fact that there are no sheet grippers on the cutting and creasing a feeding nip located in advance of the cutting nip and into 7 which the sheets are fed in registered relation, and which feed means continues the advance of the sheets into the cutting nip ing of sheet material which is advanced through the cutting located on the dies to form the desired cutting or creasing patnip, and wherein the sheet material is registered and then advanced by lead edge grippers carried on at least one cylinder into a feeding nip defined by sheet feeding means and the grippers release the leading edge of the sheet when the leading edge has been introduced into the feeding nip so that the feeding means then continues the feed of the sheet into the cutting and creasing nip.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved cutting and creasing apparatus, as noted in the next preceding paragraph, wherein the feeding means comprises at least a pair of feed rollers, one of which has undercut portions therein to permit a guide to be located in alignment with the nip and which guide has a surface which received the leading edge of the sheet upon release of the sheet by the grippers and which surface guides the leading edge of the sheet into the cutting nip defined by the cutting and creasing cylinders upon further advancing movement of the sheet by the feed rollers.

Further object and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a cutting and creasing apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view, taken approximately along the line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, somewhat schematic, of the apparatus shown in FIG; 2.

In accordance with the present invention, an improved rotary cutting and creasing apparatus for sheet material has been provided wherein the construction of the cutting and creasing cylinders is greatly simplified due to the elimination of any sheet gripper feeding mechanism on the cutting and creasing cylinders. The present invention not only provides a simplified construction of the cutting and creasing cylinders, but also enables cutting to be performed at the lead edge of the sheet material. Moreover, the present invention minimizes the probability of wear of the die plates on the cutting and creasing cylinders, and thus reduces the need for replacement of the die plates.

As representing the preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 illustrates a cutting and creasing apparatus 10 for cutting and creasing cardboard sheets having a printed image thereon to form box blanks therefrom. The cutting and creasing apparatus 10 includes a pair of cylinders ll, 12 which rotate in close proximity and define a cutting and creasing nip 13 therebetween. As the sheets are advanced through the cutting and creasing nip l3 defined by the cylinders l1, 12, the material is cut and/or creased. After the sheets are cut and creased, they are advanced through a stripper unit which includes stripper cylinders 17, 18 which separate the waste from the articles. The stripper unit details are not important to the present invention and will not be described in detail.

The cutting and/or creasing of the material is performed by sheet forming members carried by the cylinders 11, 12. The sheet forming members, in the preferred embodiment, are

formed integrally with and project from flexible plates or dies l4, 15 carried by the cylinders 11, 12, respectively, and are tern. The sheet forming members carried by the plates 14, 15 are in the form of projecting lands and cooperate to effect a cutting and/or creasing of the material upon rotation of the cylinders 11, 12. The lands extend axially and/or circumferentially of the cylinders ll, 12, depending on the pattern to be cut.

The cutting effected by the cutting lands and the creasing of the sheet material, as effected by the female and male creasing lands, may be as described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,233, to Downie, issued July 28, 1964. The above-mentioned patent described 'the particular dimensioning of these lands for carrying out the purposes of cutting and creasing and the particular dimensioning of the lands in the present structure is the same as that disclosed in the Downie patent. Moreover, the dies could be as disclosed in copending Sarka application Ser. No. 700,538 now US. Pat. No. 3,485,146. lt is believed unnecessary, in view of the disclosure in the Downie patent and in Application Ser. No. 700,538, to make a detailed disclosure of such herein. The'flexible plates 14, are heldon the cylinders 11, 12, respectively, by plate clamp means 140, 150, respectively. The plate clamp means 140, 15a may be of any suitable construction and a detailed description thereof will not be made. The die plates should be of a construction which provides for tensioning and adjustment of the die plates with respect to the cylinders. It should be noted,

however, that the plate clamps 14a, 15a while located radially inwardly of the outer periphery of the die plates 14, 15, respectively, do not require a severe bend in the die plates 14, 15 at the edge thereof.

A sheet to be advanced into the cutting and creasing nip defined by the cylinders 11, 12 is advanced by a conveyor onto feedboard 21. The leading edge of the sheet engages a plurality of front stops 22 which move into the path of the leading edge of the sheet and stop the sheet to thereby register the leading edge of the sheet. A suitable side registry of the sheet is also effected by means of a pair of rollers23 .which move the sheet laterally of the feedboard so that the side edge of the sheet engages side lays, not shown. Thefront stops 22 comprise the outer tips of arm members which are supported for pivotal movement with a shaft ,25. The shaft 25, when pivoted, moves the-stops 22 out of the path of movement of the sheet, and a roller 26 moves into engagement with the underside of the sheet and presses the sheet against a roller 27 which cooperates therewith to effect feeding of the sheet toward an advancing cylinder 30.

The feed rollers 26; 27 feed the sheet at a speed in excess of the speed of rotation of the cylinder 30 and feed the sheet into engagement with a plurality of locating gauge pin members 31. The overfeeding of the sheet by the rollers 26, 27 is sufficient to cause a buckling of the sheet. When the sheet has been buckled and with the leading edge thereof in engagement with the pins 31 which are spaced along the axis of the cylinder 30, gripper fingers 35 move to a closed position to effect a gripping of the sheet for movement with the cylinder 30. The sheet is then carried with cylinder 30 by the gripper fingers 35 without relative movement of the sheet with respect to 'the grippers 35.

The gripper fingers 35 on the feed cylinder 30 carry the sheets to an advance cylinder 40. The advance cylinder 40 carries the grippers 41 thereon which receive the leading edge of the sheet upon release of the leading edge of the sheet by the grippers 35. The grippers 35 and 41 are of a well-known construction and will not, accordingly, be described herein in detail.

After the leading edge of the sheet has been transferred to the grippers 41 on the advance cylinder 40, the sheet is then conveyed with the advance cylinder 40 to a transfer cylinder 50. The transfer cylinder 50 also carries grippers 51 which receive the sheet from the grippers 41 on the advance cylinder 40. The sheet, after the leading edge thereof is received by the grippers 51 on the transfer cylinder 50, is carried by the transfer cylinder 50 as the transfer cylinder rotates. A sheet S is shown in this position in FIG. 1.

' The transfer cylinder 50 and the grippers 51 carried thereby comprise a part of a feed means 54 for advancing the sheets into the nip defined by the cutting and creasing cylinders 11, 12;:jThe grippers 51 on the transfer cylinder 50 are constructed so as to release the leading edge of the sheet at a point designated 55 in E16. 1. This point designated 55 is at thelocation of a feeding nip defined by the periphery of the transfer cylinder 50 and the periphery of a plurality of feed rollers,

' generally designated 61.'When the leading edge of the sheet is released by the gripper 51 in the feeding nip, the sheet is then fed by the pressurerelationship betweenthe feed rollers 61 and the transfer cylinder 50, as shown at S in FIG, 3.. The sheet, when moved by the feedroller s 60,and the transfer cylinder 50, is guided into the cutting nip bya suitable guide means 65.

The transfer cylinder 50, as shown inElG. 2, has a plurality of portions, five being shown, removed so. as to provide relieved areas, designated 68 -72. The grippers 51..which are shown in phantom in FlG.'2 gripthe sheet so that it rests on the raised surface portions-designated 73-76.of the transfer cylinder 50.

The feed rollers 61, as shown, include four rollers 80, 81, 82, 83 which have a pressure relationship with the surfaces 73,

Q 74, 75, 76, respectively, of the transfer cylinder When the sheet is released by the grippers 51, the pressure relationship between the -.rolls 80-83 with the surfaces 73- -76 of the cylinder 50 cause the sheet to continue to be advanced toward the cutting and creasing cylinders 11, 12. i

The guide means 65 which guides the movement of the. leading edge of the'sheet from thefeeding nip 55 to the cutting and creasing nip 13 is in the form of'a plurality 'of guide finger members, designated 88-92 in FIG. 2. The number of guide finger members used may vary. These finger members are received in the cutoutportions 68-72, respectively, of the cylinder 50 50 as to extend directly adjacent the feeding nip 55. When the gripper fingers 51 release a sheet, which occurs at the feeding nip 55, the leading edge of the sheet is received by the upper surface of the guide members 88-42 and continued forward movement oflthe sheet is effected by the .cooperation of the cylinder 50 with the rollers 80-83. The

guide members 88- -92 guide the sheet into the nip def ned by the cutting andcreasing cylinders 11, 12 and, accordingly, project adjacent thereto. The upper surface of the guide finger members are in a plane which extends'approximately tangentially to the cutting nip 13 and feeding nip 15.

The distance between the feeding nip 55 and the cutting and creasing nip 13 is less than the length of asheet which is being cut in the cutting and creasing nip 1 3. Asheet S is shown in P16. 1 and which is substantially longerjthan the distance between nips l3 and 55. Preferably, and as shown in the drawings, the distance is not greater than three-fourths the length of a sheet so that when the initial portion of the sheet has been received in the cutting and creasing nip 13, the sheet is being fed or advanced by the cylinder 50 cooperating with the feed rollers -1-83. Once the trailing end of a sheet being cut has passed through the feeding nip 55, the continued forward movement of the sheet is effected by suitable feeding elements carried by the cutting and creasing cylinders themselves. These feeding elements are described in-Sarka U.S

Pat. No. 3,383,991.

It should be apparent from the above that the construction r p of the cutting and creasing cylinders has been simplified, due

to the'fact that the cutting and creasing cylinders do not have grippers thereon; Moreover, the die plates have a minimum bend therein at the edge thereof. As a result, the die plates are f' more readily mounted on the cylinders with a continuous intimate contact therewith. This reduces the possibility of working of the dies, as discussed above, and permits lands to be located on the die plates so as to cut and crease the sheet] material immediately adjacent and up to the leadingand trailing edges thereof. This, of course, minimizes die plate change and the ne'edfor replacement thereof, and, in addition, can provide substantial cost savings by enabling use of material which was formerly discarded as waste. 1 claim:

1. Apparatus for cutting sheets comprising a pair of cylinfor gripping the leading edge of, said sheets and carrying the leading edge into said feeding nip and then releasing said leading edge, and means for guiding movement of the sheet by said feed means between said feeding nip and into said cutting nip.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for gripping the leading edge of said sheets and carrying said leading edge into said feeding nip comprises grippers carried by a transfer cylinder, said feeding nip being defined by said transfer cylinder and feed roll means associated therewith.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said transfer cylinder has relieved portions and said guide means comprises a plurality of guide members extending from adjacent said feeding nip to said cutting nip, said guide means projecting into said relieved portions of said transfer cylinder.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for effecting the cutting of sheets comprises flexible cooperable die plates carried on said cylinders and having projections extending from the main body thereof to effect the cutting.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said die plates are secured to said cylinders by plate clamp means and said cutting and creasing cylinders are free of sheet feeding grippers thereon.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the distance between said cutting nip and said feeding nip is less than the length of the sheet,

7. Apparatus comprising means for registering a sheet which is to be cut, gripper means for advancing said sheet while maintaining the registered condition thereof, feed means for receiving the sheet from said gripper means and continuing the advance of the sheet, said gripper means engaging the leading edge of thesheet and advancing said sheet to said feed means and then releasing said sheet, said feed means including feed roller means engageable with the 0pposite sides of said sheet for advancing said sheet while maintaining the registered condition thereof.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 further including a pair of cutting cylinders defining a cutting nip receiving the sheet from said feed roller means.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the distance between said cutting nip and sail feed roller means is less than the length of a sheet,

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said cylinders have cooperable die plates thereon for effecting said cutting said die plates being secured to said cylinders by plate clamp means and said cutting and creasing cylinders being free of sheet feeding grippers thereon. 

1. Apparatus for cutting sheets comprising a pair of cylinders defining a cutting nip, said cylinders carrying means for effecting cutting of sheets advanced into said nip, means for advancing said sheets into said nip including feed means defining a feeding nip located in advance of said cutting nip, means for gripping the leading edge of said sheets and carrying the leading edge into said feeding nip and then releasing said leading edge, and means for guiding movement of the sheet by said feed means between said feeding nip and into said cutting nip.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for gripping the leading edge of said sheets and carrying said leading edge into said feeding nip comprises grippers carried by a transfer cylinder, said feeding nip being defined by said transfer cylinder and feed roll means associated therewith.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said transfer cylinder has relieved portions and said guide means comprises a plurality of guide members extending from adjacent said feeding nip to said cutting nip, said guide means projecting into said relieved portions of said transfer cylinder.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for effecting the cutting of sheets comprises flexible cooperable die plates carried on said cylinders and having projections extending from the main body thereof to effect the cutting.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said die plates are secured to said cylinders by plate clamp means and said cutting and creasing cylinders are free of sheet feeding grippers thereon.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the distance between said cutting nip and said feeding nip is less than the length of the sheet.
 7. Apparatus comprising means for registering a sheet which is to be cut, gripper meAns for advancing said sheet while maintaining the registered condition thereof, feed means for receiving the sheet from said gripper means and continuing the advance of the sheet, said gripper means engaging the leading edge of the sheet and advancing said sheet to said feed means and then releasing said sheet, said feed means including feed roller means engageable with the opposite sides of said sheet for advancing said sheet while maintaining the registered condition thereof.
 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 further including a pair of cutting cylinders defining a cutting nip receiving the sheet from said feed roller means.
 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the distance between said cutting nip and said feed roller means is less than the length of a sheet.
 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said cylinders have cooperable die plates thereon for effecting said cutting said die plates being secured to said cylinders by plate clamp means and said cutting and creasing cylinders being free of sheet feeding grippers thereon. 